Eurobasket - Afrobasket

After having competed and reached the semifinals in the Afrobasket 2013 as assistant coach with Ivory Coast National Team,  and once the Eurobasket is over, I think it could be interesting to take a look at the Champions of these competitions. 

We all know pretty well the French team, and I'll show some details of their offense. But in Europe we often forget how quickly African basketball is growing, they're not "only athletic players" anymore, and the coaching level and their organizations are getting better and better. So I'd like to focus first in the African Champion.

Angola showed solid basketball at both ends of the court. Intensity on defense, rebounding dominance and a great use of their players' skills on offense. 

They have been the best team feeding their bigs in the offensive transition, with Moore, Gomes, Mingas and Ambrosio running the floor well and getting the position early in their offense. Straight passes from the point guards and the wings, and a smooth high / low game between the big guys. The way they used their bodies to get the position inside, allowing an easier pass from high post was excellent. 

Having the best African shooting guard helps, but still you need to find him and give him space to play. They did this with Carlos Morais, running a bunch of sets to get him free, some widely played nowadays in most European top level teams. They executed these plays really well and he did an excellent job all along the tournament.

Morais himself was elected the Afrobasket MVP and might end up signing a contract with the Toronto Raptors to be the first Angolan player in the NBA. He's not only a deadly shooter, but also has a high basketball IQ to read the defense and make the right decision (shot, drive) He can crush the boards to get offensive rebounds and on the defensive end, he showed nice efforts and a good overall activity.

Now, France was supposed to miss some of their stars, but they played as a team, and once again they were led by Tony Parker. 

There are two situations I'd like to show you, the first one is a small variation of the classic high middle screen. France run it following a down screen for the big guy who was setting the screen for Parker. It's interesting to see how the French star manages to go right every single time when using (or rejecting) the pick (according to synergy technology, during the last NBA season, he scored 1'163 points per possession when he drives right from the top, and 0'969 points per possession when he goes left)

The second video shows how France involved weak side players on their offense. When the ball goes inside, or to the high post, there's a player cutting to the basket from the opposite side. They found very good scoring options along the Eurobasket.

Good basketball here, there, everywhere...

Eurobasket 2011: France

Next game, France.

The most physical team all over the Eurobasket. They are in very good shape. They’re playing very good basketball, without mistakes, with discipline, with their stars playing together, sharing the ball... A team that likes to run. They are strong rebounders on both sides, and they solve their lack of shooters with very good spacing and teamwork.

Boris Diaw has been hot during the previous games, going to work often in mid post, and showing all his skills with and without the ball. Good passer from the paint, he’s scoring and assisting. They run this situation for him very often. Once the ball goes inside, the other players move well to difficult helps. The guard pops using to screens and then Diaw (sometimes Noah) receives a screen to get the ball in low – mid post. Watch out the first cutter (often, Batum)

You could think (many teams have) that zone defense is a good weapon against France. It should be. They don’t have great shooters, so they should struggle facing a zone. Well, they don’t. They play really well against zone defense. Their spacing, the way they use the screens, their offensive rebound...

Here, take a look at their bigs, setting screens for the guard, playing from behind the defense (really important concept against zones) popping to hig post, spreading the zone from the inside (high post player goes to the free throw line, low post player almost touches baseline)

A strong dribble attracts two defenders. The spacing is great. An off ball screen frees another player on weak side. Two defenders are defending no one, high – low action...

Three players moving together, a ball screen for Parker and an off ball screen against the upper line’s second defender. Free way for Parker to drive and an easy pass outside in case he can’t finish. Teamwork.

Really important against zones. Offensive rebound.

And not only against the zone. They follow penetrations, and get the rebounds coming from nowhere...